You buyin' that? About all I can guarantee is that it appears there will be three teams of 5, each led by a prior winner of Face Off. Oh, and there was a sighting of Ve Neill. Will Lois Burwell come back? We find out in a couple of weeks. Yeah, I still miss Patrick Tatopoulos too.

Has worked in various amusement parks as a SFXMA, notably Universal, Japan. Gotta root for someone from the hometown, eh?

Alan Carnes, 3 2

Redding, CA, hometown Weaverville, CA

Freelance Special Effects Makeup Artist

Interned at Amalgamated Dynamics. Worked on X-Men First Class, and Luna. Please, no relation to Kim, or her songs will never leave my head.

Anthony Reyes, 20

NYC, NY, hometown Shohola, PA

Freelance SFXMA

Worked on College Humor, Funny Or Die and FX's The Strain, ESL One and various music videos. Inspired by fantasy video games.

Ben Peter, 32

West Carrollton, OH, hometown Centerville, OH

Construction Worker

Not the typical background for a Face Off contestant. Served five years in U.S. Marine Corps as helicopter mechanic on various aircrafts. Enrolled in L.A. Cinema Makeup School and in just four short years has been making a name for himself in the industry. There are several candidates that look real good for the win, and this is one of them.

Daniel Prado, 38Atlanta, GA, hometown Sao Paulo, Brazil

Associate Creative Director

Art & graphic design education in Brazil, has been in the U.S. for 2 years. Has 3 children. I know, it's gonna be hard to avoid the Don Pardo jokes.

Emily's focus is on painting, character concept, costuming and prosthetic application. Specializing in hair & makeup at school. Is that too early in the career to be on Face Off?

Gregory Hewett, 36

Charlotte, NC, hometown Supply, NC

Freelance SFXMA & Instructor

Has worked in the field for 17 years, opened own business in 2000. Has worked on various TV, film & theatre projects, as well as his own "How to FX" demo.

Jamie Leodones, 30

Burbank, CA, home province Alberta, Canada

Freelance SFXMA

Karate Black Belt. Trained in special effects by Season 4 finalist Kris Kobzina. Ten years in SFX, has worked at FrightFest, and with cosplay superstar Yaya Han for 2014's WonderCon.

Julian Bonfiglio, 25

San Francisco, CA, hometown Fremont, CA

Freelance SFXMA, home caregiver

Cinema Makeup School graduate. Julian hopes to start his own business teaching advanced classes & selling prosthetics in order to help support and spread awareness of NBIA, a rare neurological disorder that affects his younger brother. SFXMA for independent movies, music videos. Assistant lab tech. Santa Clara Great America makeup artist.

Kelly Harris, 24

Columbus, OH, hometown same

Freelance SFXMA

Kelly Harris is a self-taught effects artist. Her bio online is quite sparse. In the past a lightweight bio has meant they really were going to do well, and hid portions of their resume. Is this on purpose, I wonder?

Logan Long, 29

Salt Lake City, UT, hometown same

Self-Employed Artist

Traveler, licensed pilot, sailor and production designer, Logan Long is a modern-day renaissance man. After spending nine years in the California Air National Guard, Logan went from having no makeup special effects training to pursuing employment solely as an artist. Drawn to sculpting, fabrication and painting, Logan has demonstrated his abilities as a special effects artist, recently fulfilling contracts with Ballet West, Salt Lake Comic Con and Red Coral Crew, a film production company founded by his brother.

Regina Jiganti, 24

Burbank, CA, hometown Hinsdale, IL

Freelance Makeup Artist

Trained in fine arts, Regina excels in drawing, painting, high fashion and theatre. S6 Graham Schofield introduced her to SFXMA.

Rob Miller, 41

Monroe, MI, hometown same

Automotive Clay Sculptor

Featured in Fangoria Magazine, Amazing Figure Modeler and on TV show Strange Universe. Member of "Vader's Fist." Co-owns a company that creates props for cosplay & film. Holds fan-based charity events, active in National Downs Syndrome Society.

Stephanie Masco, 21

Plainfield, IL, hometown same

Haunted Attraction Makeup Artist

Pursing a BFA at the American Academy of Art, Chicago, tattoo apprentice, cosplayer. Worked on The Adventures of Kitty Zombie.

What do you think? I know, they always trick us, the first person going home usually has a KILLER resume/bio. I am curious as to why Logan has a different picture from all of the others. I also want to know if the three with the 'seemingly' barest of bios will be all on the same team, or spread out evenly amongst the teams.

"Why are there no ladies with unnaturally red hair this season?""The show can't last without a redhead."

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Face Off s8e1 •It Returns!• 13 January 2015

Aren't you all kinds of excited? I'll work up a meet-the-contestants post real soon. (That means before the 13th.)

I re-re-re-re-re-re-re-injured my foot again, and have been on complete bed rest for days. Yes, all through the holidays. Boo. Well, not THAT holiday. I'm bored out of my skull, so I bet it isn't too long before the contestant post is up.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Walking • 6 • 23 December 2014

No, mine aren't that nice!

I had to walk to the podiatrist today for my appointment. I went in with four wounds. By the time I got home, I had five. Annoying. Yes. I'm on complete bed rest. No kitchen for food. No restroom for you know what. But, I'm alone enough to where that will never happen. I know it's a little irrational, but I fear never getting well.

I spent half of 2013 in the hospital. I fear going in and never coming out.

Oh, and I'll be alone on Christmas. Yeah, I know, you're jealous, at least I won't be surrounded by annoying people demanding gifts because they are entitled, but don't really want to spend beyond 15 seconds actually talking to me. Someday I hope to celebrate Christmas with an emphasis on the gift of the birth of Jesus — with someone else.

Wait a minute: I found the silver lining. (Don't you dare say NO PR!) (LOL) I have plenty of xeroform. It's a powerful infection fighting dressing to lay over my wounds. I am also on Cipro, so between the two of them, I really should be alright.

I've had wounds going on my feet since mid-August. Three are moving in the right direction, one is regressing, and the brand new, huge one, well, I just got it today, so I don't know for sure. I'll know how I'm doing tomorrow.

Well, that was quite the rant. If it feels a bit hyperbolic, because, well, I *do* have the gift of exaggeration, well, sadly, it isn't. I've undersold how serious it is. But, I'm above ground, and I'm not paired to anyone bad for me. I have things for which to be grateful. Merci, Seigneur.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Last time on PRAS each designer rolled dice to learn of his fabric and event.

Sonjia won for her bachelorette in Vegas, and Gunnar went home for his confused bodice.

This week's challenge? To create outfits for first daters who met on Match.com. Because she won last time, Sonjia got to pair everyone up in teams: Sonjia & Dmitry, Fabio & Jay, Sam & Michelle and Justin & Helen.

They get less than a full day, just 10 hours after Mood shopping, because the singles will wear the outfits THAT NIGHT. They get $300 per team.

Highlights: Fabio mentions cohesion immediately after the consult with the singles (separately, of course.) Wait, is that part of the challenge? I don't think so. Curious. Also, why didn't they utter the word "makeover?" Yes, these were all beautiful people, but sometimes the makeover clients are as well. Missed opportunity for some designers, since they weren't able to imagine beyond giving the clients what they asked for. Dios mio.

Michelle was sick for much of the work time, the poor dear. Sam doesn't seem to be helping, but maybe she just wants to finish her garment first?

Zanna is impressed with Helen's look, and advises Justin to masculinize his look.

Sam's girl wanted a crop top. Georgina likes the front of it, but not the back (too long.) Alyssa thinks it could be at any store. Isaac doesn't like seeing the bra strap. As Sam tries to explain her trouble with the upper frontals, Isaac and Laverne seem to go a bit harsh on her. It did NOT seem like Olivier or Ven, so I am wondering what was cut out to make Isaac be so terse.

Other than Laverne's fit issues with Fabio's shoulders, Jay & Fabio earn much praise from the judges, and rightly so.

Sonjia & Dmitry are immediately declared middle safe. The judges are all over the place with Michelle, which puts her in the safe middle, too.

Jay & Fabio are clearly the top 2.

Fabio takes the win. That's three of 'em!

"I've won three challenges but

I know that I can go home at any time.

The level of work here is really, really high."

"Yeah, hatever you say mon."

Sam places 6th out of 8, and is safe. I would have put Justin there. His look wasn't *completely* insulting, like the other two.

Helen & Justin are BOTH SAFE ??!!??

"What? Can you not do your job?"

"You have no idea how hard it is."

I know they are paying you to do a job that wasn't executed.

There were a couple of episodes this season where they all earned the right to stay, yet they sent someone home. As far as I'm concerned this was the week for a double elimination, Sam & Helen, with Justin getting a stern talking to for going so plain, safe and boring. So strange. Dear treasured judges, when they flounder, don't use an excuse to keep them on. When they excel, let them stay.